Clipped Wings
by xghostwriter
Summary: Genesis would always be the prisoner, never becoming a hero. Yuffie can't help but muse as she watches him rot away in a cell.
1. prologue

Title: Clipped Wings

Fandom: Final Fantasy

Pairing: Genesis Rhapsodos/Yuffie Kisaragi

Warning: There will be spoilers for those who have never played the game(s), including Dirge of Cerberus. It is labeled AU because it is set after the events of all the games (so far) and will contain adult themes later in the series.

Summary: Genesis would always be the prisoner, never becoming a hero. Yuffie can't help but muse as she watches him rot away in a cell. _  
_

Notes: I like this parting, so don't shoot me. I had this idea for awhile, after reading NoYourJustAnotherAsshole 's fic containing the same pairing. In the beginning it was going to be a one shot, but honestly, the more I wrote the one shot, the more I enjoyed writing for this pairing. In the end, I wrote so much, I decided to make it a series. Reviews would be nice, but you know that you don't have to write one. Enjoy this first little piece and the entire story.

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**The Prologue.**

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"Did something happen? How are the vital signs," Reeve asked as a doctor joined the duo, who had previously been walking down the halls of WRO headquarters. Yuffie peered over at the doctor, or maybe he was a scientist, watching as he said nothing but just stared helplessly at the man both called their boss. "No change?"

"No sir," the other man, older and showing high tail signs of grey hair and wrinkles. "The subject fails to respond to any triggers."

"Of course, you are dismissed," he waves off him and both watch the man disappear down the hall, heading in the opposite direction that Reeve and his young companion were headed. Running his fingers through his hair, the superior exhaled deeply and motioned for the ninja to follow him, as he continued back down the hall. "I really didn't want to pull you out of Wutai when things there seem so difficult for you, but you were the only one I knew might be able to handle this."

"Not a problem," Yuffie beamed despite the concerned thoughts that filled her head. It was true, Reeve had called Yuffie sounding rather distressed and in needing of her help. At least, the young ninja thought that something had happened to Vincent or one of the others, but when he asked her to come to headquarters for a mission, the thought was dismissed. She called up Cid for a ride and quickly made her way to the building, meeting with Reeve and demanding to know what was going on. That was how they ended up on this walk, yet she still didn't know what was going on, but she planned to find out. "So, Tuesti, what's the deal?"

"I was going to give this mission to Vincent but he has been busy with an assignment in Costa del Sol. You were the only one I could think of at the time," Reeve coninued on his way down the hall and turned his sights to the giddy little princess of Wutai. "You cannot speak a word of what you are doing here or of what you are about to see. Understood?"

"I got it, I got it!" She rolled her eyes, attempt to hide the fact that she was beyond annoyed with his lack of information on the subject. She wanted to know what was going on, and so far the only thing that she knew was it was one of the few top secret missions that were placed on her shoulders. It was becoming annoying and she was sure that he took notice to the aggravated expression on her face. "So what's it about? When do I start?"

"Hold on a moment," Reeve forged a smile as he stopped and turned to the a door on the left. He leaned over and typed in a code, causing the door to open. Yuffie peered over her boss's shoulder and attempted to see past the doorway. Much to her surprise, she had never seen this area before, the lights turning on and lighting up a staircase. Reeve could almost feel the ninja shiver in dismay at the sight, knowing that this had to have been one of the darker sides of the company. "You're mission is down there. I'm not sure how long you'll be on this one, but I will be expecting reports daily. What lies down here is something that not even I am proud of, Yuffie, and I'm sorry to put this on you."

Yuffie stared down the stairs and inhaled slowly, turning frightened—for once in probably her whole life—eyes to the man. "It's about that experiment that scientist was talking about, isn't it?"

"Yes," Reeve nodded. "And I'm trusting you to keep this under wraps."

She bite her lip, "I can do it, just tell me what to do."

"Good, follow me," he replied as he began to embark down the staircase, with the young ninja following after him.


	2. Day 00

Title: Clipped Wings

Fandom: Final Fantasy

Pairing: Genesis Rhapsodos/Yuffie Kisaragi

Warning: There will be spoilers for those who have never played the game(s), including Dirge of Cerberus. It is labeled AU because it is set after the events of all the games (so far) and will contain adult themes later in the series.

Summary: Genesis would always be the prisoner, never becoming a hero. Yuffie can't help but muse as she watches him rot away in a cell. _  
_

Notes: There will be thirty or so chapters of this fic. A chapter for each day she spends with Genesis, although this might change, it all matters on the response for this fiction. I enjoy writing it because it is so outside of the box, different from everything else I'm known to write. Reviews are welcomed.

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**Day 00.**

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Yuffie Kisaragi remembered that she had once been a prisoner, it had happened right after the Wutai War had ended and she was still stuck on the idea that maybe she could change something. She had tried, tried as hard as an eight year old could and obviously failed, only to be captured and thrown in a cell to rot away. She often remembered the way the guards would tease her, telling her things that made the small ninja—no matter how strong she appeared—want to cry. She often remembered when a pretty TURK with auburn hair had come into the wing, telling the guards that she was there to relieve them. She remembered that when the guards walked away, the pretty girl had helped her escape and that she never got to thank her for that, not that the Great Ninja Yuffie ever thanked anyone or anything.

However, the moment that she and Reeve hit that bottom step, the future of Wutai knew where she was and instantly wanted to run away, or beat the living day lights out of Reeve. This one was much closer and well kept then the one that had kept the petite ninja at bay, but it was still one nonetheless. The walls and floor seemed to be made of metal, the lights above barely let much room for the imagination, lighting everything in sight clearly. Brown eyes danced about the area, taking in all the empty cells with almost relief, until she noticed how stiff her boss was getting as they were only a few cells from the very last one.

The female's heart beat sped up, the organ pounding against her ribs as if it had been attempting to break them, as she noticed how the elder of the pair slowed his step. She found herself following suit, her gaze turning up to him to see that his eyes were shifted to the left and staring into one of the cells, his movements stopping all together. The ninja almost didn't want to look in the direction her friend—she was beginning to wonder if she could even call him that, now that she had seen this place—but still forced herself to do just that. Her sights turned as she stopped dead, her hand flying up to cover her mouth. _"What's going on here," _she thought hurriedly_. "Did Reeve do this?"_

Within the cell sat a single man, his body leaning against a wall for support and his head lowered as if he was staring at the floor. Clothes and pale skin littered with blood stains, both flesh and old, his very form looked broken and spent. Through the torn dark clothing, one could quickly take notice to the scars and bruises marring ashen flesh, it made the young girl's stomach turn. She took notice quickly to the blood matting the filthy auburn locks, tangles and knots making it look unsightly. He appeared thin and malnourished to the young warrior, who found herself glaring at Reeve.

"Don't give me that look, Yuffie," Reeve almost begged the angered ninja. "Most of this was done before we found him, or that he did to himself."

"What," she mumbled, appearing bewildered. She didn't quite understand what her boss had meant by that and the tone that he had used bothered her highly. "What'd ya mean?"

"It's simple," the man replied as he stepped over to the bars and peered inside, almost as if he was expecting the ninja to join him. "We had gotten a call about a month ago from the rebuilt Banora Village, they were speaking of monsters fighting and that they had needed back up. I sent a group to check things out and soon this man was brought back to us, unconscious and bleeding to death. The men claimed he was like this when they found him and I have no reason to doubt them. The doctor I had spoke to earlier had begun to examine the injures, most of which came from weapons my men were not carrying, however, before the man could start the healing, he woke."

Yuffie narrowed her eyes, "And…?"

"He lashed out and injured doctor, along with a few soldiers I had on stand-by. We were forced to knock him unconscious and he was dragged to this cell," the older man spoke in a hushed voice, obviously not proud of what had happened. He kept his sights on the pitiful display of the man in the cell, his eyes narrowed at a memory of what this being was formerly. "He doesn't speak or eat, sometimes assaults himself while others he appears as he does now—just staring at the wall. He is wasting away and it is not like we could set him free, he could very well be a threat…"

_"He doesn't look very threatening," _she thought bitterly. It was true; the man within the cell didn't appear as though he could stand, let alone attempt to end the world and all the things that the evils had done before. Yuffie might have been young but certainly wasn't stupid, something else was going on and she planned to find out. She voiced her thoughts as she turned her gaze to Reeve solely, noticing how the man tensed and gave her a glance that clearly read that he wasn't willing to let her know the other secrets of the situation. However, she was stubborn and wasn't about to give up. "I won't take the assignment until you tell me what's going on."

"You don't recognize him, do you?"

She frowned, "No."

"Of course not, you were so young at the time," Reeve mused as he turned his attention back to the silent man. "He was a General in the Wutai War before he fled Shin-Ra ranks. I do not know the entire story on why he did such a thing, or why he did what he had after, but he is dangerous. He was ill, from what I remember, and claimed that if he were to die, he was to take the world with him. He did unforgivable things, Yuffie."

"Huh," she blinked, obviously confused. She remembered hearing something similar to this story before, but she couldn't rightfully replace it. She had been young, only eight at the time, so remembering such a thing was more then difficult. "Who is he?"

There was a frown from the elder man. "You are looking at Former SOLDIER First Class Genesis Rhapsodos." Yuffie blinked, trying to think back and remember that name. she couldn't come up with anything, much to her dismay, and frowned herself. Reeve took notice to the girl's reaction and stepped away from the bars of the cell, moving to the petite ninja's side. "Come, I'll give you a full report on what you will be expected to do, and a file on what is known about the prisoner."

"Right," Yuffie nodded slowly and glance past her commander, sights settling on the slender man in the cell. "I'll be back." The statement was directed at the former SOLDIER, as a reassurance that she would return but was uncertain who she was really trying to comfort—herself or the man. Still, there was no answer from him which discouraged her a bit, but Reeve hadn't allowed her to linger on the thought. He quickly urged her to follow him out of the area, which she did because she had no other choice.

Once out of the prison, she was led down the hall in silence and into Reeve's office. After she had entered, the man shut the door and locked it, which caused the ninja to frown. This action was ignored as Reeve moved to his desk and began to sort through files, scowling himself. "Your assignment is fairly simple but also dangerous in a sense, because he is unpredictable. It will last no more then a month, for that is all the time he more then likely has left on this planet, at the rate he is going. The original plan was to attempt to change that, by using you as a trigger, but he seems to have no reaction to you either."

"So you were going to see if I could send him bat shit crazy," the ninja retorted harshly.

He frowned, "No, I was hoping that he would see you, as a Wutai woman, and possibly say something. He doesn't have the strength to go, as you politely put it, _bat shit crazy_."

"Oh," Yuffie flinched at the ruthless tone of the man. "So since I'm obviously not going to be sent home after the failed test, what am I gonna be doin'?"

"I'm still foolishly hoping that you are going to be a trigger, so I will be asking of you to do some simple things," he commented quietly while pulling up a file, holding it out to her. "Here is his file, or what is left of it. Shin-Ra had destroyed most of the information, so there is little left. I want to you read over this, it's undemanding, but it should help you in the assignment. I need you to visit with him, posing as a cleaner and during mealtimes, attempt to get him to eat. Do you think you can do that, Yuffie?"

"Sounds easy," she chirped as she grabbed the file and flipped it open. She didn't bother to read it, just wanted to make it look good. "Actually, it sounds too easy. What's the catch?"

Reeve frowned, "There isn't one."

"Right," she spoke sarcastically while shutting the folder. "When do I start?"

"Tomorrow," Reeve answered. "I want you here bright and early, possibly seven in the morning. I suggest you go to the room I had reserved for you at the inn on the other side of town, read up on the subject and get a good night's sleep."

She retorted, "Sounds boring."

"He's an former SOLDIER first class, do you really want to risk it," Reeve countered. She frowned and he leaned back in his seat, almost smirking. "Didn't think so."

_"He thinks he's so smart! Maybe I should just deny the mission and go home, see how he would like that," _she huffed inwardly as she sent him a heated glare. _"It isn't like he could stop me! I have other things I could be doing besides pretending to be some innocent little girl around a former SOLDIER, who probably still has a hatred for my people!" _It wasn't rare for Shin-Ra's people to still show that look in their eyes, the same look she vaguely remembered from when she was a little girl in the middle of a war. However, the anger in her very soul, at the idea of what was probably going through the crimson man's mind, disappeared as she remembered one thing… _"I said I would be back…"_

"Yuffie," Reeve's voice echoed causing her to break out of her thoughts, give him a glance. "Are you going to take it or not? I want to know if I have to look for a replacement or if I will be seeing—"

"I'll be here at six-thirty," she grinned despite herself. _"I'm not going to let him down." _She turned at that thought, grasping the file tightly in her right hand while glancing over her shoulder. "See ya then, Tuesti!" With that, the ninja turned and bounced over to the door, opening it before racing through it like she was escaping certain death, leaving a puzzled yet amused Reeve in her dust.


End file.
